Energy Management

Proper energy management can be the difference between an extremely positive running experience and a complete nightmare. Having coached thousands of runners of various abilities, I’ve witnessed several common mistakes runners of all levels commit. At the top of the list is mismanagement of energy.

Runners begin each training run or marathon with a tank full of energy, one that will never be as full for the balance of their run. Wasting energy at the beginning of a run or race can come at an extremely high price. Starting too fast and not allowing the heart to pump large volumes of blood to oxygenate the major muscle groups can be disastrous. Experiencing oxygen debt and becoming anaerobic will result in lost form and wasted energy, thereby making you more vulnerable to an injury.

The easy solution is to run the first two miles of every run at a pace that’s at least two minutes slower than you expect to average for the remaining miles. This may seem rather pedestrian but it’s truly the key to success to effective energy management. Incorporating moderation in the beginning of each run allows you to maintain your form throughout the run, reduce the risk of injury, and improve the likelihood of more enjoyable runs.

You can experience breakthrough running results when you are mindful of how you manage energy throughout your runs!